Question

In a very busy off-campus eatery one chef sends a 235-g broccoli-tomato-pickle-onion-mushroom pizza sliding down the counter from left to right at 1.65 m/s. Almost simultaneously, the other chef launches a 351-g veggieburger-on-a-bun (with everything, but hold the horseradish) along the same counter from right to left at 2.47 m/s. The two delicacies collide head on at the given speeds–the counter is practically friction-free due to accumulated grease–and merge into a single, unbelievably savory serving.

In what direction does the delectible dish move, if it moves at all?

a. to the left

b. to the right

c. doesn't move


At what speed does it move? Enter a positive number.

Answer 1

Ans

mass of broccoli-tomato-pickle-onion-mushroom pizza m₁ = .235 kg

velocity of broccoli-tomato-pickle-onion-mushroom pizza v₁ = 1.65 m /s

Its momentum = m₁v₁

= .38775 kg . m/s

mass of veggieburger-on-a-bun m₂ = .351 kg

velocity of veggieburger-on-a-bun v₂ = 2.47 m /s

Its momentum = m₂v₂

= .86697 kg m /s

They are coming from opposing sides so their net momentum

.86697 - .38775 = .47922 kg m /s in the direction of veggieburger-on-a-bun

because it had larger momentum.

Applying law of conservation of momentum

total momentum in the beginning = final momentum

.47922 = (m₁ + m₂) v ; v is common velocity

v = .47922 / ( .235 + .351 )

= .8178 m / s

81.78 cm /s towards left.